The Texas State Railroad Runs Through Cherokee County

Work on the Texas State Railroad started in 1893. Its purpose was to connect the state prison in Rusk with timber and iron ore work camps. By 1903, the line ran about 14 miles from Rusk toward present-day Maydelle. Convict labor built it. It helped drive Cherokee County's early industrial economy.

Today the railroad is a tourist and heritage attraction. It has been privately operated since 2007. The Rusk terminal sits near the Rusk State Hospital, which has long been a major employer in town. The railroad's story is tied directly to Cherokee County's timber and iron ore industries. Both shaped the region in the late 1800s and early 1900s.